Claudia Puig

For those seeking an alternative to giant robots and flying wizards, there's an amusing Australian comedy that might be just the right panacea for blockbuster overload.

A silly movie that's essentially a series of clichés strung together into a semblance of a movie.

Don't be put off by the title. This is no sequel, but a surprisingly charming British comedy that is only tangentially associated with "Rambo."

Only a truly dreadful story could make 81 minutes seem like an eternity. And Space Chimps is just that leaden experience.

Has a riddick-ulous sci-fi plot, overblown and numbing video game-style special effects and a going-through-the-motions lead performance by Vin Diesel.

Offers a compelling portrait of human tragedy and the journey to redemption.

Although it's a quintessential popcorn movie, Wolverine is not mindless. Hood and Jackman bring depth to a comic-book tale of anti-heroes with anger issues.

An intriguing, if meandering, escape from the summer blockbusters.

In Capote, Philip Seymour Hoffman's brilliant transformation into the mannered writer takes your breath away.

A gripping and fascinating tale of political intrigue that spans three continents, its focus trained on the volatile Middle East. It's a global portrait of danger, deception and disillusionment, with no dearth of human casualties.

The movie starts out cleverly enough but grows insipid as the girls' antics become more predictable.

Squanders the opportunity to give us a telling glimpse of the woman behind the ruff. Instead, the costume drama is all gilt and opulence.

More thought-provoking than frightening. Its stubbornly cynical attitude makes it worth watching, more than the monsters or the impenetrable mist (which looks spewed from a fog machine) engulfing a small town in Maine.

Madonna's directorial debut, Filth and Wisdom, feels more like a collection of scenes than a fully drawn film.

Even within the most formulaic of genres, this Cinderella tale is uncommonly predictable.

Less a movie than a mind-numbingly dull road trip.

Captures a potent sense of the Old West with its multidimensional raw performances and captivating final shootout sequence. But with its emphasis on emotional truths, it transcends the confines of a cowboy movie.

Not so much a movie as an amusement park ride.

The cinematic equivalent of an elaborate and poetically constructed non sequitur.

More animals don't necessarily translate to more fun and laughter, at least not when it comes to animated sequels.

Love Happens is an oddly upbeat title for a movie that is surprisingly sad.

Who would think Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban could be an art film? Thanks to director Alfonso Cuaron, a dazzling storyteller with a keen eye for whimsical detail, the third film in the Potter franchise is a visual delight.

The movie is so impressionistic, it obfuscates any sense of history. We expect at least a hint at the causes of the Mayan Empire's demise, but instead we get Mesoamerican Rambo.

If you didn't know otherwise, you'd swear that Gentlemen Broncos was made by a disaffected high school student – and not a particularly talented one.

The stories run a gamut of emotions: melancholy, bittersweet, provocative, witty, poignant, silly and fanciful.

Soderbergh takes a deadly serious news story and amplifies and colors it to the point of outrageousness. The results aren't always consistent, but they are undeniably compelling.

The Queen is the kind of thought-provoking, well-written and savvy film that discerning filmgoers long for but rarely get.

Running With Scissors lacks the edge of Augusten Burroughs' best-selling memoir. The result is an inconsistent tragicomedy that attempts to be cut from the same darkly humorous cloth as "American Beauty," but fails.

Who would have thought an animated comedy satirizing the predictable nature of fairy tales could be so grim?

The action epic 300 is so overblown, overheated and over the top that on some level, it's fun to get caught up in the operatic dizziness of it.

Starts out with promise but staggers under the weight of trying to take on too much. The tone is murky: The story attempts to blend adolescent angst with fantasy adventure, and the result is rather clunky.

Babys is intellectually stimulating and emotionally stirring, a rare combination these days, though hardly unusual for writer/director John Sayles.

What emerges is a banal horror film and a tepid action-adventure.

Not worth the ride.

This tale is both redemptive and tragic, if occasionally melodramatic.

Tries rather feebly to examine complex questions of morality. It does a better job of capturing a sense of shattering grief, but it gets too caught up in plot contrivances and coincidences to be believable.

Cloying and dated movie.

The film feels as calculatedly sentimental as one of those bland pink candy hearts.

Steer clear of Freedomland, the movie. Your time would be better spent reading Richard Price's much more compelling 1998 novel.

Solidly entertaining and possesses dazzling special effects, but it falls short of the near-perfection of the Spidey sequel.

The stunts are as muscular and the film as handsome to look at as the hero who so ably pulls them off. But the story linking it all together is thin and weak.

Yes, yes, it's Liar Liar 2.

Though not as action-packed as some thrillers, The International is noteworthy for its unusually scenic and architecturally dazzling locations.

This is probably the year's worst romantic comedy -- and that's saying something in a year that includes "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" and "Whatever Works."

In less capable hands, the movie could have been maudlin. Instead, Hicks and Owen have created an intimate drama told with humor and emotion.

We'd all like to live in an Italian movie. So says a character in Nine, and it's probably the best line in this musical misfire.

Because Sarandon is such a good actress, she makes the movie watchable, and there are a couple of laughs to be had.

It's irreverently entertaining.

It's a quintessential movie hybrid: a romantic thriller with exciting high-speed chases, brisk comedy and exotic scenery.

Killers is dead on arrival: miscast, horribly paced and murderously uninvolving.

It captures an authentic feel-good spirit and inspirational message that most Hollywood movies barely approximate.

Despite gripping chase sequences and a few awe-inspiring fiery explosions, gaping holes in the convoluted plot make Shooter heavier on style than substance.

The very rich are different from you and me. And much worse. That's basically the message of the disappointingly banal Nanny Diaries, a film that is even more lightweight and clichéd than the fluff that was the best-selling book.

A heartening and poignant affirmation of the transformative power of music.

Anyone who has ever had an annoying neighbor will see their worst nightmares fulfilled in the overheated but entertaining Lakeview Terrace.

It's good to see Polley back on screen, after her successful turn behind the camera directing 2006's "Away From Her." She brings a measure of intelligence to the one-dimensional role.

Diverting enough if you want to see plenty of fast-paced action sequences, some heart-stopping chase scenes and plenty of things blow up.

The movie is sure to appeal to fans of the show. But when quality family films, such as "Holes" and "Bend It Like Beckham," are also in theaters, why waste your time on this drivel? The answer, of course, is the kids will insist on it.

The premise is misbegotten, the chemistry non-existent and the dialogue leaden. Did we mention how tediously the plot unfolds?

Unfunny, sappy and massively predictable.

Yes, it's not for the squeamish or easily offended, but its sordidness is more superficially shocking than wickedly satirical.

Unexpectedly charming. It's a classic date movie, but it also will appeal to pre-dating tweens and middle-aged romantics.

Buddy movies are a Hollywood staple, but Rory O'Shea Was Here puts a new and profoundly affecting spin on the tired genre.

The movie is a clunky, noisy contraption. Director Jon Turteltaub piles on gadgets and devices in the hopes we'll be dazzled enough to miss the story's lack of coherence and charm.

The best actor in Snow Dogs is a glowering Siberian husky named Demon. In fact, all the dogs in the movie do a better job than their human counterparts.

It's a stellar cast, but you can't help but lament the bad timing.

To say that New in Town is the worst movie of this fledgling year is to damn it with faint praise. It may be one of the worst movies of any year. Not content to be merely inane and predictable, it is downright insulting, humorlessly deriding those who choose to live in rural America, labor in factories or have a strong Christian faith.

Dark Water has more substance and a more interesting look than many horror films, but the familiar elements of the story disappoint.

Eastern Promises has a compelling story and strong performances to back up what may seem excessive or sensationalistic.

Even its pre-teen audience could use a bit more quirkiness and a little less formula.

Though the blending of archival footage into a faux documentary is occasionally clever, ultimately it's banal and unconvincing.

It is a lovely film for the holiday season, as well as afterward, and is reminiscent of "Finding Neverland," without the darker undercurrents.

Both darkly funny and life-affirming, in an offbeat and offhanded way.

The film owes much of its success to the inspired pairing of Fincher and Sorkin.

Powerfully honest, insightful and poignant.

Just be the most wildly derivative animated movie in ages.

It's Barrymore's most ambitious role to date. She proves she is maturing as an actress.

Though the premise is clever -- everything comes to life at night in New York City's Natural History Museum -- this movie doesn't make the best comic use of the concept.

As frothy and smooth as a chilled margarita on a hot Vegas night.

In exploring the complicated nature of family bonds, Brothers is thought-provoking. The wounds inflicted by the cruelty of a troubled parent can prove as painful as battle scars.

Plausibility aside, the key to making the scenario work is comedy. Much can be forgiven if it delivers enough laughs. That's the main problem here. It's short on clever humor and big on convention and formula.

The movie's premise is as dopey as they come: A serial killer with a conscience is killing other serial killers.

Fortune is smiling down on veteran filmmaker Robert Altman with Cookie's Fortune.

Director Peter Berg's frenetic style heightens tension and a sense of disorientation. But some will find its chaotic quality dizzying and off-putting.

If it's challenges you're after, forget cracking "The Da Vinci Code." Wordplay captures the exhilaration that comes from navigating the ins and outs of complex puzzles.

Much as they would like it to, basketball can't save the youthful inner-city players here. Nor does the ultra-fast-paced street version of the sport save this movie from predictability and tedium.

A few scenes in World's Greatest Dad may qualify it as the most uncomfortable and unsettling movie to sit through of any this year.

Bubble is a haunting film, made all the more intriguing by the use of ordinary people, not actors, in all the roles.

After "Monsters, Inc.," this movie may be a bit of a letdown, but there are some scenes that will delight elementary-school-age children and older preschoolers -- notably the gross-out moments.

Something this gleefully goofy and consistently funny would be welcome in any environment.

Not so admirably, the film feels at times like a giant commercial for Universal Studios.

By showing the struggles and efforts of about half a dozen people, it puts a human face on the tragedy.

With its original performances that can't be reduced to simplistic labels, Juno is charming, honest and terrifically acted.

It's great to see an action-adventure family film with heart as well as humor, whimsy alongside wisdom, and a compelling narrative.

Director Hayao Miyazaki treats his audience as imaginative and intelligent human beings, rather than catering to kids with rote displays of silliness, stunts and scares.

Depp deserves kudos for fashioning an original and outlandish if occasionally menacing character.

A moviegoer's only defense against Jason is to avoid theaters showing this gruesome and derivative movie.

A refreshingly entertaining character study that refuses to dumb down its youthful cast or bury their concerns in service of a catchy soundtrack.

A compelling and uplifting tale that exposes the viewer to an unfamiliar, fascinating culture and a family dynamic that is recognizable and nuanced.

For a swoon-fest aimed at tweens, 17 Again has a lot going for it.

What vaults the film above the standard sports movie is the stellar performance by Michael Sheen.

This film highlights some of the best, and raunchiest, of his humor.

Epic battles, spectacular effects and multiple story lines make The Two Towers a most excellent middle chapter in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

It's so derivative, unfunny and thuddingly bad that it's one of the more cringe-inducing movies of a genre chock-full of clunkers.

This appealing romantic comedy undertakes the conventions of the formula without an inordinate amount of clichés. Music also infuses the overall plot with a satire of the music industry, and the pop tunes and lyrics are catchy.

Slight and only sporadically amusing.

A good-natured and engaging fantasy/romantic comedy in the tradition of "Heaven Can Wait" or even "Topper."

The potency of the acting is also undercut by leaden pacing and a sense of claustrophobia.

Last Chance Harvey is the "Before Sunrise" for the over-45 set.

The new Pelham takes the chilling original premise and modifies it for an era steeped in technology, making for an energetic and engrossing adaptation.

It's a syrupy, downbeat film.

Max Payne couldn't be more appropriately named. Sitting through this stylish-looking but derivative, vacuous and bullet-riddled movie inflicts maximum pain.

The concept is inspired, and the movie has some very funny moments. But about halfway through this long weekend, the frantic tale grows flimsy.

Memoirs of a Geisha is like a sumptuous piece of silk: stunning yet ultimately flimsy. You wish it were more like a kimono, richly woven, multilayered and more substantial.

A compelling drama that establishes Ryan Gosling as one of the finest actors of his generation.

Actually is a bit of a hoot.

It's generally enjoyable, amusing and more sophisticated than most films in this genre.

The predictable story feels as if it were written by a computer program labeled "sequel."

Long on visual dazzle but short on warmth, and the humor is excessively raunchy for a family film.

The clash over the house quickly escalates into a modern-day tragedy. It is a fascinating film, handsomely adapted from the book and well directed.

An evocative film with a believable and subtly enthralling lead performance that gets deeply under your skin.

To paraphrase Devo: Whip It, not so good.

Good but not legendary.

This is not the Travolta of "Pulp Fiction," nor is it the Williams of "One Hour Photo." Though no animals were harmed in the making of Old Dogs, the lead actors were defanged. But like a pair of Labradors, they have a playful rapport.

A revelation. One rarely sees American-made movies that are so unafraid to explore emotional cruelty and portray the consequences without positing easy answers or attaching happy endings.

Genial but largely predictable ensemble comedy.

Just as sharply funny and as heartwarming, yet unsentimental, as the first.

The movie is really a lovely ensemble piece. Beautifully conceived and written by Michael Cunningham (Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours), the film has a distinctly novelistic and literate style.

Russell Crowe may find himself discovering the simple joys of life in A Good Year, but audiences will be checking their watches during this joyless attempt at comedy.

Captivating and multifaceted.

If only the movie had heeded its own advice and tried to be different from the standard formula.

You'll be checking your watch a lot during Timeline. Though most of the cast is strong and the movie has moments of suspense, ultimately the mystery in this action thriller is so far-fetched it's ludicrous.

A serviceable and intermittently funny romance.

Who would have thought a fire-breathing monster could be one of the most adorable on-screen critters since Babe?

A visually arresting and entertaining romp, but it lacks some of the sardonic humor of the popular children's books on which the movie is based.

In "There's Something About Mary," the gross gags were hilarious. Here, they're just vile.

Enjoyable enough. Though like some holiday fare, it doesn't quite stay with you.

There are inventive and engaging moments in this broadly comic action saga. But Chandni is at once enjoyable and maddening.

It would be nice to be able to report that Kinky Boots is a kick in the pants. But this conventional, manipulative British import feels like a re-soled pair of shoes that unquestionably have seen their day.

Freedom Writers is an earnest, well-meaning attempt at inspirational teen drama. It has some moving scenes and honest observations, based on a school in Long Beach, Calif., but the movie sinks under the weight of formula and stereotypes.

It may be the most disturbing film you'll see in a long time.

For at least half the movie, you need a code book a few inches thick to decipher Code 46.

Even for non-fans, Revenge of the Sith is engrossing, and fans of the series will likely be over the moon -- and into another galaxy -- with this film.

Everyone is well cast and no one more perfectly than Freeman, who is far more God-like than George Burns ever was. Freeman's God is wise, humble, wry, patient and funny but never mean-spirited.

With its almost stream-of-consciousness style, Reprise offers a fresh and compelling look at the vagaries of friendship and creativity.

A bittersweet relationship drama with enough honest emotion and gentle humor to move even the steeliest heart.

Joyeux Noël is gritty and disturbing with its extended scenes of war and destruction. It also is emotional, even a touch sentimental.

Ant Bully, while not wildly fresh or inventive, is entertaining and energetic.

Aspires to be a cinematic "Sex and the City," but it's more like South Park Goes West.

Fame offers slick entertainment with some exuberance, but it's devoid of soul or heart.

Though events unravel predictably, the film is profoundly affecting, thanks to a well-written story, rich characters and superlative acting.

An insightful, sharply written and unsettlingly amusing exploration of the darker elements of masculinity.

Hustle's approach to a simple good-vs.-evil plot is eccentrically exuberant.

A searingly intense and artful tale that grabs hold of the viewer from its jarring and wordless opening scenes and doesn't let go.

A slog rather than the sweeping romance it aspires to be.

Lacking in originality.

Pierce Brosnan is the anti-Bond in The Matador. And though he's anything but suave, sophisticated or debonair, he's a joy to behold.

It takes a filmmaker possessed of a rare, almost alchemic, blend of maturity, wisdom and artistic finesse to create such an intimate, moving and spare war film as Clint Eastwood has done in Letters From Iwo Jima.

There is undoubtedly a good movie in the varied experiences of American newcomers. But it would need to involve sagas more urgent and more original.

Chan has more chemistry with the kids than with Valletta, but the story is so insipid that it's likely to only sadden fans of the martial-arts icon and offer little enjoyment to its young audience.

A compelling piece of naturalistic filmmaking, claustrophobic and thought-provoking.

When Team America works, it falls squarely into the category of guilty pleasure.

The film is capably acted and somewhat inspiring.

A spiritual quest can take many forms. One could argue that all of director Wes Anderson's movies focus on a sense of personal melancholy and directionlessness that often fuels such an odyssey. And they do so with a dark and offbeat wit.

Imagine a blend of "Snatch," "Ocean's 11" and "The Italian Job." Then juxtapose the staples of the caper genre with real events involving national security and high-level corruption, and the result is The Bank Job.

Enraptured by bathroom humor that doesn't even reach sophomoric standards. It's more on the level of preschool.

Worth seeing just for the superb prosthetic makeup and seamless computer-generated effects in which Pitt's head is digitally imposed onto older bodies.

A good script is the most essential ingredient for a good movie. Hiring a comedian isn't enough.

Serves up an irresistible helping of delicious fun with writing that is tart and sharp and a story infused with sweetness.

Romantic screwball comedies are supposed to be at least a little romantic, but there's no chemistry between Perry and Hurley.

As exhilarating, captivating and enjoyable as a summer romance in an exotic city.

Though not nearly as raucously funny as the leads in "Wedding Crashers," Nick and Shawn resemble junior versions of the one-track-minded womanizers played by Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.

Joaquin Phoenix gives a superbly raw and excruciatingly vulnerable performance.

Dazzling colors, winning characters and energetic visual effects all work in concert, with the 3-D animation serving to intensify the experience.

Spiced with plenty of humor and affection.

Classic rock enthusiasts will want to stick around through the end credit sequence, which features an array of album covers.

Jennifer Hudson is the heart and soul of Dreamgirls. When she's on the screen, the movie shines. When she's not, the whole endeavor suffers.

Amid the style, sass and sexiness is plenty of sentimentality, especially at the satisfying conclusion.

A Sundance hit that is both absorbing and bleak, Frozen River is anchored by powerful performances, believable scenarios and excellent writing.

Somehow Statham comes out of this improbable thriller with his dignity intact.

Brüno offers more shock value for your moviegoing dollar than any other movie this year.

Feels as desperate and static as being trapped in a traffic jam.

The biggest mystery about Repo! The Genetic Opera is why the grisly Goth-horror musical is opening the week after Halloween. The second-biggest mystery is why this unfunny, unscary, preposterous bloodbath about organ transplants is opening at all.

Tedious, unromantic, sophomoric and only sporadically funny.

Been-there-seen-that wannabe laughfest.

Enough is enough. Somebody should just stop remaking The Producers.

The History Boys is an erudite, sharply written film with consummate performances, but its origins on the stage are all too obvious.

The best thing about Black Snake Moan, a song title, is the blues soundtrack. The movie is an absurdly jarring collection of archetypal characters in miserable circumstances with a resolution that feels forced and tacked on.

The movie makes some missteps, most of them in pacing and length, and the story veers occasionally into melodrama, but it is saved by the powerful performance of Benicio Del Toro.

Rudo y Cursi (which roughly translates to tough and corny) is more raucous and slight than the contemplative "Y Tu Mama," but it is an undeniably entertaining rags-to-riches-to-rags comedy.

The movie tries to be both comical and touching, as befitting the coming-of-age genre. But it feels forced, derivative and sometimes sappily sentimental.

Has plenty of fast cars and revving engines. But unless you're a fan of that sort of thing, its stultifying plot and wooden acting is likely to make you drift - off to sleep.

The film is about a half hour too long. The third act drags and an extended high-stakes poker game doesn't always keep our attention. But this is a superior Bond.

Though slightly lacking in the warmth of the first, should no doubt please audiences.

Ghost World draws super, natural performances.

Dull, dreary Answer Man raises this question: Why?

Performances, plot and pacing are as mechanical as the hard-wired cast.

The contrived insult comedy here feels old, borrowed and blue.

Against sizable odds -- a sense that the franchise is played out and its star over-exposed -- Mission: Impossible III delivers.

Danny Trejo plays the long-haired, craggy-faced titular Machete with a combination of swift ferocity and baleful kindliness. And the ladies love it.

It energetically captures the frenzied pace of contemporary existence, the complexities of life in a multicultural world, the rootless joys of living in a foreign city and the heady world of possibilities one envisions while in college.

As thrilling as the adventure sequences might be for kids, the better scenes take place on the high school campus.

Once you get past the fact that lovely Emily Blunt doesn't look anything like the dour historical pictures of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, The Young Victoria is an appealing and well-crafted, if staid, portrait of a fascinating ruler.

As it is, this uneven movie is more a compilation of contemporary images and concerns peppered with derivative raucous scenarios, à la Judd Apatow movies, than an involving romantic comedy.

The affair may have raised eyebrows all over 18th century Paris, but it's not likely to elicit more than a shrug from 21st century moviegoers.

Despite its ultra-formulaic premise and juvenile sense of humor, there are a few laughs, and the movie's heart is generally in the right place, with the notable exception of racist characterizations of an Arab prince and Japanese businessmen.

Easy A not only makes the grade, but it comes in close to 100%.

Her (Garner) grace and mystical abilities make for a lonely burden, and we are supposed to feel her pain. Instead, we feel our own for having to sit through this silly movie.

Nothing is right about this ridiculous horror schlockfest.

It's nowhere near as funny or incisive as the South Park movies, and it has a much crazier style. Imagine Abraham Lincoln chatting up a giant milkshake and discussing slavery, and you get the picture.

A road movie that never really takes off.

For a thriller of its kind, it's a lively and slick summer escape.

The film is likable, with some funny moments and recognizable human conflicts. But the origin of the women's friendship is not explained, and the nature of Olivia's problems is not examined or taken very seriously, making her seem inexplicably lost and shallow.

It is one of the year's best films and perhaps the finest modern film about World War II.

The romance, which commences rather gradually, is tender, but not graphic. Humor is interspersed throughout, but there also is sadness, handled seriously. Actually, it is as much a family saga as it is a romantic comedy.

A tautly paced, well-acted espionage thriller with the requisite explosions and action sequences. Still, it ends up leaving the viewer rather cold.

The tale of the resistance movement in Belorussia is undeniably inspiring and ideally suited for a cinematic rendering. But Defiance resists bold, passionate storytelling and delivers something rather conventional.

The documentary is enjoyable, though it could have been edited more tightly. The ending, in which three of the contest participants write and perform a catchy pop song, is buoyantly fun.

Deep within Law Abiding Citizen lurks a thought-provoking movie. But most of what we see on the screen is implausible, superficial and only marginally involving.

Every second Helen Mirren is on-screen in The Last Station is a study in peerless talent.

This is the rare screwball comedy that is superbly paced, cleverly plotted and hilarious from start to finish.

There's nothing terribly fantastic about this ho-hum futuristic foray.

Though not as far-reaching as the book from which it was adapted, Everything Is Illuminated is a movie with wit, warmth and unabashed emotion.

It's an intriguing match of material and filmmaker. Dahl's distinctive, edgy storytelling seems to fit well with Anderson's idiosyncratic worldview and visuals.

This unfunny, über-misogynistic adaptation of Tucker Max's audacious best-seller of the same name is unlikely to please anyone.

Women may appear a bit smarter here, but both sexes are portrayed as superficial and silly.

Despite its title, Prime is not a cut above. This romantic comedy's predictability and rather dull love story make it the cinematic equivalent of a slightly stale hamburger.

The music by Outkast is great, and the rowdy, randy en masse dance sequences are riveting. The story, however, is rather thin and lacks focus.

Though the film will undoubtedly please the young viewers who flock to it, ultimately many of the book's readers may wish for a more magical incarnation.

They may call it The Last Castle, but moviegoers will ultimately feel rooked.

But reserve dampens the passion in Lust, Caution, his beautifully mounted but rather unmoving film. It feels surprisingly cold, despite this erotic thriller's ultra-explicit sex scenes.

Though the tale may fall short on imagination, the principal actors make Over Her Dead Body livelier than one would expect.

Good Hair is cause for hope that Rock continues to make documentaries. His style is lively, smooth and up-to-date, like the most coveted 'do.

Though unlikely to have the lasting quality of "The Graduate," it feels a bit like that seminal film for today's generation.

A brilliantly acted and achingly bleak coming-of-age story.

An excellent adaptation of a wonderful work of fiction (The Age of Grief).

Though better than most of Perry's broad comedies, The Family That Preys still suffers from excessive predictability and mawkish sentiment, which detracts from the story's believability.

Marley & Me might be easy to watch, but -- even for die-hard canine lovers -- it's as easy to forget.

Worth seeing not only because it's a highly effective thriller, but also because it's a finely tuned evocation of innocence at the mercy of adult cynicism.

It's a sweet and mildly funny movie that will entertain young audiences, but one aspect is utterly mystifying: The two main characters, father and son bovine creatures, have large, distracting udders.

It's an almighty, humorless bore.

The music is the uncontested highlight of El Cantante.

Drippy, derivative stalker flick.

Yes, it's a candy-colored Day-Glo world, but there's a liveliness missing from this lead-footed Speed Racer.

The film disappoints terribly, too. The directorial debut of such an imaginative and clever screenwriter was a highly anticipated event. His "Being John Malkovich" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" are two of the most innovative and intriguing movies of the past decade. Synecdoche is one of the most maddening.

Sugar is that sweetest of films: A sensitive and memorable story that surprises at every turn.

Drag Me to Hell is unlike any scary thriller in a while: frightening, frenzied and fun.

The characters in The Box are like cardboard cutouts: Some have "foolish victim" labeled on them, and others fall into the category of absurdly creepy villain.

More coming-of-age story than biopic, this Guevara odyssey is a transformative adventure well worth watching.

Like the best French cuisine, Ratatouille is ambitious and delightful.

One small documentary for a filmmaker and one giant leap in inspiration for audiences.

Those who were upset by the tragic ending of last year's "Pay It Forward" should be warned away.

Riveting and darkly comic Super Size Me is a whip-smart documentary.

It's not the grand scale action-adventure it aspires to be, but this faux epic does offer family-friendly entertainment.

The real shocker is how many grown men it took to conceive and write this lamebrained tale.

Directing seems to suit Luke, who also does some of his best work to date on screen.

It's an unconventional premise: that aliens live in harmony and humans are the warmonger invaders. But it's not that simple.

Firewall might be worth renting on an inclement weekend when the pickings are slim. It does have some tense moments - even if some of the technical plot points don't quite scan. But, overall, it just feels like a rehash.

Fans of the cult TV comedy Strangers with Candy may be happy to catch any sighting of the silly escapades of Amy Sedaris' middle-aged ex-con junkie. But purists will prefer the Comedy Central episodes to this uneven film.

About a Boy is a rarity in many ways. It's a well-written, witty film whose memorable characters grapple with the nature of family, love, friendship and despair. Even its soundtrack, by Badly Drawn Boy, is perfectly pitched.

It doesn't help that the performances are bland (particularly those of Christensen and Bilson) and that what comes out of their mouths is uninspired. Short on imagination and anchored by a wan hero, Jumper is a flight of fancy that never fully takes off.

It could have delved a little deeper to keep us wide-eyed and engaged.

At once futuristic, funny and fantastical.

It's an intriguing movie, and Thornton's performance is both fascinating and maddening.

At a time when romantic comedies seem to have exhausted unique ideas, along comes Lars, an original, amusing and heartfelt tale sharply written by Nancy Oliver (Six Feet Under).

An occasionally schmaltzy but likable story of healing and redemption.

An ambitious but mind-numbingly tedious and often incomprehensible film.

The tagline for College Road Trip is "You Can't Get There Fast Enough." But for those who sit through this humorless and massively predictable movie, a more apt phrase would be: "You Can't Get Out of There Fast Enough."